Relations between the United States and Egypt are in deep-seated turmoil which could hurt the entire Middle East, the Egyptian foreign minister said in remarks published on Wednesday.
Nabil Fahmy told the state-run Al Ahram newspaper the extension of the period of instability in ties would “reflect negatively on the entire region, including American interests”.
“We are now in a delicate state reflecting the turmoil in the relationship and anyone who says otherwise is not speaking honestly,” he said.
Egypt criticised a US decision last week to curtail military and economic aid to Cairo after a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, although Washington stressed it was not severing ties with its long-standing ally. US officials said the move reflected Washington’s unhappiness with Egypt’s path since the army overthrew freely-elected President Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood on July 3.